Coroner lashes cyclists

By Dan Harrison

STATE coroner Graeme Johnstone has lashed out at the "pack mentality" of rogue cyclists in an inquest into the death of an elderly man who was struck by a rider as he crossed a street.

Pedestrian James Gould, 77, was trying to cross Beach Road, Mentone when he was hit by a cyclist participating in the notorious Hell Ride, a weekly high-speed ride through Melbourne's bayside suburbs.

One rider, William Kelsall, told the inquest he was alarmed to see riders speed through the pedestrian crossing where Mr Gould was trying to cross, four or five seconds after the light had turned red.

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He said cyclists routinely defied traffic controls to avoid being separated from the main pack.

Mr Kelsall was riding with a group of five friends when they were swept up in a group of about 100 Hell Ride cyclists.

"We have frequently observed members of the group ignore red lights and have remarked to ourselves that they are going to kill somebody some day. Sadly this has happened, yet this death was entirely preventable," he said in witness statement tendered to the court.

In an extraordinary outburst, Mr Johnstone interrupted Mr Kelsall's testimony to demand the leaders of the ride change their ways. "This group, this bunch, this pack needs to modify its behaviour," he said.

Mr Johnstone said that in his 18 years in the job it was "very rare" for him to make comment during an inquest, but "it just needed to be said".

He thanked members of the public who had taken time off work or study to give evidence, but noted the absence of ride leaders.

"Those who run the pack don't give evidence. They're not game enough," he said.

Earlier, apprentice carpenter Daniel Keely told how he witnessed the incident in his car while he waited at the crossing for the traffic lights to change.

He described seeing one cyclist strike Mr Gould "at excessive speed".

"The sickening noise of the head clash with the ground was horrific," Mr Keely said in a witness statement tendered to the court.

The inquest heard from another witness that seconds earlier, Mr Gould had raised his hand and yelled "It's a red light" at about 20 cyclists as they rode through the crossing.

Another rider, public relations consultant Hugh Martin, said there was "mass confusion". The court heard that Mr Martin had told police soon after the accident that riders behind him had called on him to continue through the red light.

"The guys behind us were calling out, 'roll, roll, roll,' which more or less means, keep going."

"When you have got everyone behind you and the pressure of everyone behind you, you make your choice and you roll," the statement said.

Earlier, the court viewed video footage of another Hell Ride in February 2005 which showed cyclists run a red light.

William Raisin-Shaw, 30, of St Kilda, who has been charged with failing to stop at pedestrian lights on the day of the incident, was in court yesterday but has not given evidence.